


turn and face the strange changes

by NewEyes



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Kidfic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-20
Updated: 2015-09-20
Packaged: 2018-04-22 14:59:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4839755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NewEyes/pseuds/NewEyes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Are you carrying a baby!"</p><p>"It appears so," Len yelled back.</p><p>"What...why?" Barry spluttered.</p>
            </blockquote>





	turn and face the strange changes

The building exploded. Len felt the heat at his back and kept running. Pieces of burning rubble were landing all around him and he was careful to keep the small bundle close to his chest, protected by the parka. When he was far enough away he paused and tried to catch his breath. Of course, that was when the Flash decided to show up.

"Captain Cold! I heard a building exploded, I should have known you were behind it," Barry yelled.

"Actually, technically it was Heatwave."

"I..." Barry was interrupted as a cry pierced the air. The look on his face was priceless.

"Are you carrying a baby!"

"It appears so," Len yelled back.

"What...why?" Barry spluttered.

"I'm a criminal, yes, but even I wouldn't leave an innocent baby to burn to death. According to the name on the little gold hat, his name is Michael." The boy was still crying, so Len tried rocking his arms gently, walking around a little bit. After a few seconds Michael quietened down, and it reminded Len of being a boy, doing the same with baby Lisa. When Len looked up he saw Barry watching him curiously. Len walked over to him and held Michael out. Barry pushed back his cowl and took the baby. He started smiling and making faces at the boy, who was now smiling as well. It was a good look on Barry, Len thought.

"Well, I'm pretty sure his parents are dead. It's probably better if you're the one to give him to child services rather than me." Len nodded at Barry. The baby would be safer in other hands and he could get back to base. It was time to have a conversation with Heatwave about blowing buildings up that he was still in at the time.

*

Three days late Len was standing outside a lovely, family home in the suburbs. He was wearing a wig and nice suit that he had grabbed from somewhere, trying to justify his decisions to himself. He just wanted to check everything was okay, that everything was safe and Michael was being looked after. It was normal to wonder, right? What was the point in saving the kid from a burning building if he was just going to get neglected in a shitty foster home for the rest of his life? Len stared at the closed door for a few moments, and then knocked. After a few moments the door opened and a middle aged woman was staring at him.

"Hi, I got your details from child services." Technically true, although he had stolen the details. "Do you have a boy named Michael here?"

"Oh yes, he's a sweet boy."

"Well, I was one of the police officers on the scene of the fire the other night," Len showed her a fake badge, he had plenty of those lying around. "Would be alright to see him? I just wanted to check he was doing okay."

"Of course, that would be wonderful," the woman said as she led him into the house. "Busy day today for him."

"Pardon?" he said, as she led him to the nursery. As soon as he entered the room Len stopped dead in his tracks.

"Allen?"

"Snart?" Barry turned towards him in surprise. He had the baby in his arms, holding him gently. It looked like Michael was asleep.

"Great, you two know each other? I'll leave you guys to it, it'll be nice to get some rest," the lady said, and then left them alone in the room.

*

Len waited until she was out of ear shot.

"What are you doing here?" he whispered.

"Me?" Barry hissed. "What are you doing here? What do you want with him?"

"What? I don't want anything with him. But I did rescue him, thought I'd drop by and see how he was doing." Len shrugged.

"Me too," Barry said. He looked down at Michael. "I didn't think you'd care about what happened to him afterwards," he said, looking up at Len, smiling wryly. "You don't really strike me as the sort who likes kids."

"Well, most of the time we're trading _ice-sults_ , I'm stealing things, you're trying to stop me. There's not exactly time to exchange personal details." Barry rolled his eyes.

"Are you going to let me hold him?" Len asked.

"Oh, yeah, okay." Barry passed him over. Michael stirred a little but Len smiled and gently rocked him until he settled down again.

"You're actually pretty good with him." Barry kept staring at Len, like he'd just grown a third arm.

"You know, I did raise my sister for a while," Len said. His mouth seemed to run away with him. "Her mother was around for a little while but, you know, she was never really around. And Dad, taking care of a smelly, crying, baby? Not a great idea." Len shut up. He was aware that he'd probably just revealed too much about himself to the Flash, but really, it was nothing that Allen couldn't have worked out for himself if he wanted.

"I think I understand," Barry said. "I know something about growing up fast too." He looked considering for a moment. "Maybe we should do this again sometime."

"What?"

"Visit Michael. The kid will probably end up moving around a lot in the foster system, maybe he could use a little consistency?"

"You're suggesting us for that? Do you think that's a good idea?"

"Actually, I do," Barry nodded.

"Hmmm." Len wasn't quite convinced. "I'll think about it kid."

*

_10 years later_

Len looked over the playground, keeping an eye on Michael.

"You know, I still can't believe that you finally came over to Team Flash. I mean, I hoped, and I tried to convince you, but wow. This is great."

"Team ColdFlash." Len said.

"Team ColdFlash, whatever," Barry smiled. "You can finally go out in public with me and Michael without those silly disguises."

"I thought you liked those," Len said.

"Um...yeah, sure. I think I prefer you like this though."

"When did he get so big?" Len asked, watching Michael swinging from the ropes. "It seems like only yesterday he was a baby."

"Yeah. And we hardly knew each other at all."

"No, we didn't-," Len began, but he was interrupted by an old man who'd come up to the bench they were sitting on.

"Excuse me," the man said.

"Yes?" Len said.

"You're Captain Cold, aren't you?" the man didn't look happy. Len nodded. "Please leave. What are you doing here? This is a children's playground, you're a murderer, it's not right that you're out here like this, watching our kids. I'm not letting my grand kids play while you're here, you should just leave." Len was shocked. He shouldn't be, he knew. It was stupid to think...but Barry had convinced him it would be okay, that everyone knew he was working with the Flash now. He stood up to go.

"Come on, let's go" he said to Barry, who was still sitting.

"Len has as much right to be here as you," Barry said defiantly. "He works for the good guys now."

"If he's really trying to be good and help people, then he should leave, so that everyone else can enjoy the park properly," the old man said.

"I-," Barry began, but Len interrupted him.

"Let's just go, come on," he hissed.

The ride to drop Michael back off at his new foster parent's house was awkward. They put on a good front for Michael's sake but after they'd dropped him off...silence. Len could tell Barry was angry that they he'd given in, that he hadn't stayed at the park anyway. Len finally pulled up outside Barry's flat, but Barry didn't get out. Len looked over at him.

"Why?" Barry asked him. "Why didn't you just stand up to that man, I've never known you to go down without a fight before. Ever, I don't think." Len thought about it, and then decided to go with the truth.

"Maybe it's because he's right. Me being there is no good for any of those kids, not even for Michael."

"What?" Barry looked pole-axed. "What on earth are you talking about? We're not perfect, no, but we've definitely been good for him. We've been there twice a month every month since he was a baby, Michael loves you the same way he loves me."

"Well, so did Lisa," Len felt himself getting angry. "I was there for her every day when she was young, she loved me, the way that children do. I was her brother, and it was my job to protect her. So what did I do? I left. Left here there, with him. What happens if I can't handle it now? I'll leave Michael and it'll be worse than if I had just never gotten involved. I never should have gotten involved in this."

"That's not true." Barry said, meeting his eyes. "You were a kid then Len, yeah, you were technically an adult, but you were really still a kid. You're older now. You know how to cope with things better. I know you can handle it." Barry said earnestly.

"How?" Len asked quietly. "How do you know that I can handle it?"

"Because I love you." Len felt his eyes widen slightly in surprise.

"You...love me?"

"Yes," Barry said, and his voice didn't waver. Len was speechless.

"Of course," Barry said, with a little more uncertainty, "if you don't feel the same, that's okay, I understand-," and Len just had to lean across the car and kiss him. Barry returned it immediately and enthusiastically. It was wonderful. Len couldn't quite believe it, Barry Allen, the Flash, all round good guy, was...kissing him? Loved him? Len felt a goofy grin spread across his face, he tried to control it but he couldn't quite manage it.

"Ow!" Barry said suddenly, as he leant too close and into the gearstick. Len smiled ruefully.

"I really am too old to be making out in a car like this."

"Do you want to come inside?" Barry asked, shyly. Len smiled back.

"Definitely."

*

_5 years later_

"I can't believe it's really real," Len said, looking down at the paper in his hands. "They actually let us adopt him. I mean you, they love you, no problems there, but me? I'm not exactly the ideal candidate with my record."

"I'm the Flash, I can be very convincing," Barry smiled, and kissed him on the cheek. "Happy anniversary." The door to the room opened, and Lisa came in. "He's ready," she said, looking at Len. Barry looked between them.

"I'll give you guys a moment," he said, and left.

"So, you're finally officially a father," Lisa said. "Congrats."

"Thanks sis. I-, do you think I'll do okay?"

"You've been parenting him for fifteen years already, this just makes it official. You're the one who raised me, and it all basically worked out okay, didn't it?"

"But...I was a terrible parent to you. You wanted to come with me, but I couldn't handle it, and I left you there, with him."

"Yeah. I'm not going to lie, that was a pretty terrible move. It sucked, a lot. But it was a long time ago, you've changed and matured a lot since then. And come on, would you ever leave Michael alone with someone like our father?"

"What! Of course not!" Len said, before he could catch himself. Lisa smiled at him, and he tentatively smiled back.

"You'll do fine."

Len walked over to the door. On the other side of the door was his husband, and his son. His family. It was a weird thought. Twenty years ago, hell, ten years ago, he'd never had dreamed of something like this. He opened the door and stepped through, with a smile on his face.

"Let's go home. "

**Author's Note:**

> My Tumblr: http://xxxneweyesxxx.tumblr.com/


End file.
